A young bank worker who plundered more than £5,500 from the account of a “vulnerable” 88-year-old has narrowly escaped a prison term.
Andrew Culley selected his victim because he thought the mother of two mentally impaired adult sons would not notice the money going from her account.
He used chunks of £300-£700 a time to fund a “lavish” party lifestyle.
However, bosses in the Royal Bank of Scotland, where the 23-year-old was a highly-regarded employee, twigged his actions. On Thursday, a sheriff told the Dundee man his “heinous acts” were likely to have a significant impact on him for years to come.
Cully, of Covenanter’s Pend, appeared before Sheriff Duncan Murray at Forfar having earlier admitted two charges of embezzlement and was told only his position as a genuine first offender had kept him from going behind bars.
The sheriff ordered Culley to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work under a Community Payback Order.
Culley became friendly with the pensioner while working at the bank’s Montrose branch but was raiding her account to the tune of £4,100 between March and April last year.
His embezzlement continued after he received a promotion to the Forfar branch, with a further £1,500 taken between May and August 2012.
Depute fiscal Hazel Anderson said the OAP’s sons had difficulty with financial matters and she had set up an account in her own name to help them.
“The accused got to know the complainer as she was a regular customer and, as part of his work, he was given a password-protected computer log-in which provided him with access to accounts,” she said.
“Under his unique password there was found to be eight withdrawals which the complainer said she had not made, of sums from £300 to £700,” added Ms Anderson in relation to the Montrose branch crimes.
The Forfar charge involved four transactions of £350/400 each time.”
Defence agent Brian Bell said his client was from a good family and was deeply ashamed of the offences.
“He accepts the sums were used for inappropriate reasons. He was living beyond his means,” Mr Bell told the court. “He’s shown genuine remorse and the relationship between him and his parents is strained because of the offence.”
Sheriff Murray added: “You misused a position of trust for your own personal benefit and will have an enormous impact on you for many years.”